In the past, confidential data files were stored in floppy disks or were delivered via networks that require passwords or that use encryption coding for security. Confidential documents can be sent by adding safety seals and impressions during delivering. However, the aforesaid are exposed to the risks of breaking of the passwords, encryption codes, safety seals and impressions, thereby resulting in unsecure transfer of information.
More recently, there is an ongoing trend towards the use of miniaturized, portable computer peripheral devices to store confidential data. In certain cases, such peripheral devices have been reduced to “pocket size”, meaning that they can literally be carried in a user's pocket in the same manner as a wallet or set of keys. One example of particular interest, in which context the present invention will be described herein, is a “flash disk”, “Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive”, or simply “USB device”.
The proliferation of portable computer peripheral devices, such as USB flash drives, has made the production of USB flash drives very cost sensitive. For example, there is currently a strong demand for high quality USB devices that are very low in cost. Accordingly, there is an ever increasing need for computer peripheral devices that are reliable and inexpensive to produce.
A problem associated with USB devices is that the USB (male) plug connector must be kept covered when not in use in order to prevent contamination of the contact pads, which would prevent the USB device from operating properly when plugged into a (female) plug socket connected to a host system. A conventional inexpensive solution is to provide a removable cap that is snap coupled to the USB device over the plug connector when the USB device is not in use, and completely detached from the USB device when the USB device is plugged into a host system. A problem with such conventional USB device structures is that, when the cap is detached to facilitate operation, the cap can become lost, thereby preventing protection of the USB device after operation, leading to possible failure and loss of valuable information.
What is needed is a portable computer peripheral device that overcomes the problems associated with conventional structures. What is particularly needed is a high quality USB device that has a very low production cost, and provides a protective cap that remains reliably attached to the housing body at all times.